Hydropneumatic pump



May 2D, 1924. v

W. E. HUBBARD HYDROPNEUMATIC PUMP Filed Jan. l0, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. Wd. E /v'u/QD .BY Z1! @if ATToR EYS.

Patented May 20, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. HUBBRD, 0F SAUSALITO', .CALIFORNIA HYDROPNEUMATIC PUMP.

Application filed January 10, 1923. Serial No. 611,764.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sausalito, county of Marin, and State of California, have invented new and useful Im proven'ients in Hydropneumatic Pumps, of which the following is a speciication. This invention relates to deep well pumping equipment and particularly pertains to a power head adapted for use in connection with what is knownL as hydro-pneumatic pumping systems.

In general, such systems embody the use of a storage tank to which liquid is pumped from a well or reservoir bya power operated pump. The unit is automatically controlled so that when the pressure in the tank reaches a predetermined amount, the operation of the pump is discontinued. Also, when the pressure in the tank drops below a certain amount, the operation of the pump is automatically commenced to refill the tank.

In systems in general use rior to the present invention the power hea was located y at a point to one side of the well, sacriicing economical and balanced design so that the pump could be expeditiously removed fromv the well for adjustments and repaired without disassembling the power head. This arrangement has not proven entirely satisfactory, asit resulted in a considerable waste of power due to the unbalanced design, and required a great deal of attention due tothe wearing of the parts, as it was impracticable to run them in lubricant. l

Several attempts have been made to provide a satisfactory power head for deep well pumps which could be mounted directly over the mouth of the well with its operating parts running in lubricant. These experiments were finally abandoned as unsuccessful for several reasons, chief among which is the fact that it required practically complete disassembly of the power head before the pump could be regno ved from the well for adjustments or repairs.V

With the object in view of overcoming the disadvantages of these rior structures the present invention embo ies a generally 1mroved and simplified power head which will he economical and eiicient in operation and require but a minimum of attent-ion and repairs.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated, by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is agside elevation of a hydro-pneuilnatic pumping system embodying the invenion.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the power head disclosing the preferred form of mechanism employed.

Flg. 3 isha plan view of the power head with the housing cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the power head taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view'takenon-line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary view in plan section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, l() indicates ahydro;v

pneumatic pumping unit comprising a power head 11 and a storage tank 12. The ower head connects with a pump and is riven by a motor 16, to operate the pump to raise liquid from a well or reservoir and deliver it to the tank 12. through a pipe line 14.

The power head 11 is equipped with a ressure actuated double pole electric switc 15 which controls the operation of the motor 16. This switch may be of any approved standard design and is connected w1th the Storage tank by a pressure pipe line 17. It is intended that the pressure in the tank automatically control thel switch and consequently the operation of the power head. That is, when the pressure in the tank 12 rises above a certain amount when the pump is being operated, the switch is opened and the operation of the power head is discontnued. Likewise, when the pressure in the tank drops below a predetermined amount, the switch is automatically closed to start the motor to operate the power head and consequently the pump.

The power head is fitted with a base member 18 which may be permanently mounted over the mouth of the well. This base is formed with an inlet chamber 19 having a threaded inlet port 2O for the reception of the threaded end of a pump casing 21.. The upper end of the chamber 22 is closed by a liange having a placking gland and nut 23 through which t may extend.

v Forme in the base adjacent the receivin chamber is a discharge compartment 25 en a by-pass compartmentv 26. These comparte plunger rod 24 of the' It is intended that the valve 31 be actuated by considerably less pressure than the valve 32, so that normally the passage of liquid from the well will bethrough the compartment 25, and thence through the pipe line 14 to the tank 12. However, for any reason should the-control mechamsm of the motor fail to operate when the pressure in the tank reaches the maximum amount, the liquid from the well will be by-passed 4through-the compartment 26 back intot'he well. This protects the system from serlous disablement due to excessive pressure.

Thebase 18 is formed with pads 34 for the reception of supports 35 of a power head housing 36.A This housing is fitted with acover 37 which co-operates therewith to entirely enclose the operating mechanism of the head. The housing is provided with bearings 38 which are adapted to receive trunnions 39 of spur'gears 40. These gears are arranged in pairs meshing with eachother and are identical in, construction that they may be interchanged to prolong their usefulness.

The gearsof each pair co-operate to revolve crank pins 41 which are tted with crosshead boxes 42. These boxes are slidably disposed in guides 43 formed in opposite ends of a crosshead 44. Rotation of the ears will vertically reciprocatey the crossead through the medium of the crank pins 41. f l

To drive the gears, a drive shaft 45 is provided and is journaled in bearings 45. This shaft isfitted with pinions 46 which mesh with the gears 40 and serve to drive the same.- The outboard endl of the drive shaft is provided with a pulley 46 which is connected by an endless belt' to a pulley 47 on the ldriving motor.

"on the s To maintain the belt taut, the base of the motor is secured on a slide 48 mounted on guides 49 formed on the base. An expansion sprin 50 is interposed between a lug 51 lide and a lug 52 on the base. This spring constantly tends to force the motor away from the drive shaft and thereby maintains the belt taut. This mounting of the motor is a considerable improvement over prior devices .which employ an idler pulley asa belt tightener, forthe reason that pumpcharacter are given but slight attention and the problem of `mainthere is no necessity nism of the powerv head.

taining the idler properly lubricated has always been diiicult.

The central portion of the'crosshead 44 is hollow and cylindrical with an open bottom. The pump plunger rod 24 is shouldered, as at 52; and extends upwardly through the cylindrical portion and detachably connects to the top thereof, as at 53.

The bottom of the housing is formed with an upwardly extending sleeve 54 -through which the plunger rod extends. This sleeve is considerably less in diameter than the interior dimension of thecylindrical portion 44 of the crosshead and is positioned concentric thereto. The cylindrical, portion 44B telescopes over the sleeve 54 when the crosshead reciprocates for the purpose of preventing leakage of oil through the sleeve i along the plunger rod. By this construction of fitting the-housing with a packing gland, the .latter being expensive and requiring considerable attention.

It is seen that oil may be introduced into the casing in suiiicient quantity so that the gears will diptherein and splash the same about to lubricate the bearings and other working parts.

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the supports 35 of .the housing are each secured to the pads 34 of the base by one cap screw 35a. Therefore, when it is desired to remove thel pump from the well, one of these cap screws is removed, and by slightly loosening the other Iscrew and utilizing it as a pivot pin, the housing may be swung to a position. unobstructing the mouth of the well. To do this, the plunger rod 24 is disconnected from the crosshead and allowed to lower and disengage from the housing, which may then be swung around. .To yremove the pump it is only necessary to disconnect the flange so as to gaintaccess to the open end of the pump casing.

In operation, assuming. that the. tank 12 is empty, the motor will operate to actuate the pump to reiill the tank. When this-is accomplished and the pressure therein reaches a predetermined amount, the switch A15 will automatically open and discontinue the operation of the motor. However, should the` switch fail to operate, vwhen the pressure reaches the maximum point the liquid lifted by the pump will be by-passed through the valve 32 back to the well.

Should it be desired to remove the pump,

the pump rod 24 is disconnected from the housing and one of the screws 35a is removed. The housing may then be, swung to an unobstructing position that the pump may be withdrawn from its casing.

It. is obvious that the removal of the pumpmay be easily accomplished by an unskilled person as it does not necessitate the disturbing of any of the parts of the mechai.

stantly and positively lubricated by the v splash of the gears the mechanism will need but a minimum of attention and will serve a long period of usefulness.

While I have described the preferred form of the invention as now known to me, it is to be understood that various changes in its construction may be made without departino from the spirit of the invention.

.I-Iaving thus described'my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A power head comprising a pair of rotors having cranks, a crossheadv operatively connected to said cranks, a casing enclosing said rotors and said crosshead, a sleeve projecting upwardly withinthe `cas ing from the bottom thereof -through which a pump rod may project, and means on the crosshead adapted to connect with said rod and telescope over said sleeve when said crosshead isreciprocated.

2. A power head comprising 4a pair of rotors having cranks, a crosshead having horizontallydisposed guides slidably engaging saidscranks whereby rotation of the rotors will vertically reciprocate the crosshead, acasing'enclosing said mechanism, a sleeve formed integral with the bottom of said casing through which a plunger rod of a pump may project, means formed centrally in the crosshead for detachably connecting with said rod and telescoping over said sleeve when said crosshead is recipro. cated.

3. In a power head, a casing, bearings mounted therewithin, rotors having trunnions journalled in said bearings, cranks carried by said rotors, a crosshead operatively connected to said cranks whereby rotation of the rotors will reciprocate the crosshead, a sleeve formed integral with the bottom of the casing and extending upwardly therein through which a plunger rod may extend, and means on the crosshead detachably con` necting with said. rod and constituting a cap for said sleeve to prevent liquid leakage therethrough.

4f. In a power head, a casing enclosing a drive mechanism for vertically reciprocating a pump rod extending into the casing and operatively connecting with said mechanism, a sleeve projecting from the bottom of the casing and through which said pump rod extends, and means fixed on the pump rod constituting a cap for said sleeve and adapted to telescope over said sleeve when said pump -rod is reciprocated to prevent liquid leakage through the sleeve.

WILLIAM E. I-IUBBARD.` 

